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Bard Skill 2

Class Skill: Bard (6-10)

Description:

The Bard Skill 2 and the three other special ability groups add a significant amount of customizibility to the Bard class. Each skill level features roughly ten abilities that the bard can learn (one per level), with the bard free to pick and choose which ones to learn. These are outlined below and on the other skill level pages.

Unlike in most systems, the success of the bard's skills are neither automatic nor based on the roll of the dice (unless otherwise noted) but on the player's ability to actually recall or otherwise perform the actions outlined in the skill (e.g. he must be able to recite The Bravery of the Doomed from memory to use the skill).

Additionally, the bard may also take any skill from any skill set that he has gained sufficient levels to reach.

Skills*

• Sing an Epic Tale: As the bard's skill continues to grow, he begins to better put to words he and his allies' journey. Any attempts to tell the story to NPCs get a +5 bonus to the Chance of Success and improve the NPCs' attitude by one tier.

Requires: Compose an Epic Tale

• Observation (Level 2): The bard has grown in his skill at learning about other classes, including their skills. Assuming the bard has witnessed an ability being successfully used, he can attempt to use this skill to replicate the feat, assuming he meets all prerequisites aside from level. The base modifier for a successful execution is INT-(2+(5/n)) where n is the number of times the bard has seen the skill attempted (since even a failure can teach him something). Additionally, a penalty of -n/5, rounded down, is exacted for every level higher than the bard the user was at the time he last witnessed this skill used. If the bard was of the higher level, no penalty or bonus is taken. The bard may only use this skill as many times a day as he has INT points.

Requires: Observation (Level 1)

• A High Elemenstor's Elemenstave Has An Eldritch And Even Sometimes Epic Knob On The End: The Bard, quite simply, sings A High Elemenstor's Elemenstave Has An Eldritch And Even Sometimes Epic Knob On The End, inspiring his allies. +4 to everyone's Stamina for 2d9 turns.

• Lesson from Forgotton Lore: The bard, through some unknown means, learns of events of which he had no previous knowledge in an attempt to find the solution to a problem (read: the players are allowed to pool their OOC knowledge of ELotH lore).

Requires: Lesson from Lore

• Hideous Caricature: The bard, an eternal artist, draws up a caricature of a character (PC or not). If the sketch is deemed offensive enough by either the GM or the player in question, then the character whose sketch the bard did will suffer a -4 Confidence loss and (if an NPC) will go down an attitude tier with respect to the bard.

• Big Bluff: The bard attempts to convince an NPC the bard and his allies are more dangerous than they actually are. Success is determined by rolling 1d7 + Language + the level of the lowest party member versus the NPC's (level + Sarcasm + Intelligence)/Stength of the strongest party member. The party suffers a -3 penalty for every member that seems or is harmless.

• Ballad of Illness: The bard attempts to disgust an opponent (in or out of battle) by relating a disturbing and/or graphic tale (such as reciting passages from fan-fiction from a certain segment of the fanbase). Both the bard and the target must make a simple constitution check, but the bard may add his Language/3 to his roll. If the target fails the check, it spends the next 3d3 turns throwing up for 4d5 damage per turn.

• Ballet: Increases the damage a bard does unarmed. Also halves the success penalty on any skills learned from observing unarmed techniques.

Requires: Interpretive Dance

• Bawdy Joke: A joke that you wouldn't tell your grandmother meant to raise spirits. Restores 5 SEP and boosts Stamina by 1 for 4d3 turns or the next hour.

• Improv: The bard comes up with a comedic act on the spot in an effort to weaken the focus of the target. If the GM laughs at the bard's antics, then the target loses -5 Concentration for the next 2d5 turns.